Ruling: Oscar Pistorius will be allowed to travel abroad to compete after winning an
appeal against his bail conditions

Oscar Pistorius is free to compete in Britain this summer after a judge relaxed his bail terms to allow him to make money.

Lawyers for the ‘Blade Runner’
successfully argued that he should be allowed to travel abroad and ‘earn
income’ while awaiting trial.

The controversial decision clears the way for him to take part in London’s showpiece athletics event at the Olympic Stadium.

Pistorius, 26, is charged with the
murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot after she locked
herself in his bathroom in the early hours of Valentine’s Day. He claims
he mistook her for an intruder.

The Olympic and Paralympic athlete
was not present as judge Bert Bam told North Gauteng High Court in South
Africa that bail restrictions should be eased to allow Pistorius to
travel abroad to compete at international athletics meetings, provided
he handed over a detailed itinerary at least a week before his
departure.

Miss Steenkamp’s family did not comment on the decision, which came despite strong objections from prosecutors.

It is certain to prove controversial
as it potentially paves the way for Pistorius, one of the world’s most
successful athletes, to earn vast sums of money while he is awaiting
trial.

Although charged with murder,
Pistorius has not been convicted of any crime and would be allowed to
enter Britain by the Home Office.

It is now likely that he will compete
at the London Anniversary Games, which takes place from July 26 to 28
at the Olympic Stadium in East London – one year on from London 2012 and
the final event at the venue before work begins to convert into the
home of West Ham football club.

It is also the last major athletics event before the World Championships in Moscow two weeks later. Significantly, Pistorius’ agent Peet van
Zyl said yesterday that the competitions could be ‘on the radar’ for
the athlete, who last year became the first to take part in both an
Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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Set for a return? Pistorius wins gold in the men's 400m - T44 final at the
London Paralympics. His lawyers argued that he might need to run at track meets
again to earn money

Conditions: Pistorius must provide authorities with his travel plans at
least a week before he leaves the country. He must also return his passport to the court within 24 hours of returning to South Africa

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There is also the possibility that Pistorius, who can receive tens of thousands of pounds in appearance money, could compete in the British Athletics Birmingham Grand Prix at the end of June.

At yesterday’s bail appeal hearing, Pistorius’ lawyer Barry Roux said that while his client had no immediate plans to compete, it is likely he would need to return to the track to earn money.

Since his arrest the Paralympic gold medallist has sold assets including a share in a racehorse and property. ‘He is not going to run away and hide. He is going nowhere,’ Mr Roux told the judge.

Defence: Pistorius says he killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp accidentally when he fired shots through a door in his bathroom in the pre-dawn hours, fearing there was an intruder in his house

Victim: Reeva Steenkamp, a successful South African fashion model and television personality, was found dead at the home she shared with the paralympic athlete

‘It’s only, only, only to earn
income . . . No other reason and under controlled circumstances. Why
stop him from travelling under controlled circumstances?’

Mr Roux also argued that Pistorius
should be able to return to his home and the scene of the shooting,
which has been investigated by the prosecution.

‘The accused can’t be stopped [from
going] back to his house indefinitely,’ he insisted. Pistorius claims he
killed 29-year-old model Miss Steenkamp accidentally when he fired
shots through his bathroom door in the early hours, fearing she was an
intruder.

Prosecutors say he shot her intentionally after they argued.

Pistorius competes against able-bodied athletes during London's 2012 Olympic games

His bail terms originally required
him to hand over his passport, avoid his home in Pretoria and all
witnesses in the case, report to a police station twice a week and
abstain from drinking alcohol.

But these rules were relaxed by Judge Bam, who described the decision not to grant Pistorius permission to travel as ‘wrong’.

He also no longer has to be regularly supervised by a probation official and the ban against him drinking alcohol was lifted.